1. Field of Endeavor
The present invention relates to apparatuses, systems and methods for improved boat of both mono-hull and multi-hull designs. More particularly, the invention relates to boat hulls modified to provide better fuel economy, maneuverability, a smoother ride at both high and low speeds, less side to side rolling motion when stationary in waves and greater weight carrying capacity.
2. Background Information
Boat hull design has been a constantly evolving field of art for thousands of years. In particular, the development of non-wind propulsion systems, material science and other technologies, has contributed to many advances in hull design over the past two hundred years.
Flat-bottom boats have a large, substantially flat hull bottom, making them very stable in calm weather. Characteristically, however, the flat, broad bow area creates a rough ride. These boats are usually limited to low horsepower motors because they do not generally handle well at high speed. Flat-bottom boats are also well suited for shallow water.
Early in nautical history, boats were powered by wind or by hand-stroked oars. Early boat designers found that boats went faster, and were easier to steer, if the bow was pointed. They also soon discovered that by lowering the center of gravity, the sailing boats had better stability, and usually kept the boat upright even in bad weather.
With the advent of mechanical power came boats with “planing” hulls, which lift the boat partially out of the water to skim on the surface allowing the boat to be operated at higher speeds for the same power. “Displacement” hulls push through or cruise through the water instead of skimming on the surface and are not able to operate at the higher speeds of a planing hull.
“Semi Displacement” hulls act in a manner part way between Displacement hulls and Planing hulls. At slow speeds they are more efficient than Planing hulls but not as efficient as Displacement hulls, while at medium speed they are more efficient than both Displacement and Planing hulls. Semi Displacement hulls are not usually able to operate at the high speeds typical of Planing hulls but are able to operate efficiently at higher speeds than a Displacement hull.
The V bottom boat is probably the most common hull design for planing hulls. Most manufacturers of performance boats built today use variations of this design. This design offers a reasonable ride in rough water as the pointed bow slices through the water forward and the V-shaped bottom softens the slamming of the boat in waves. The angle of the V is called “deadrise”. A sharper V has more deadrise. Some “V”-bottom boats have a small, local flat surface at the very bottom of the aft end called a “pad.” This pad creates a little more lift which increases top speed but at the sacrifice of a little softness in the ride.
A chine in V bottom planing or semi-displacement power boat hull forms refers to the hard corner or edge at the intersection between the hull bottom and the hull side.
With sailboats, it is common to have a rounded hull with no strakes or chines. A keel is often employed. However, the keel of a sailboat generally is generally deep vertically in proportion to the overall depth of the hull. On modern designs, it does not typically run the length of the boat.
Boats having a flatbottom, are stable at low speed while also being maneuverable and provide a large displaced volume for a given draft, thus accommodating more weight.
A deep V hull provides a relatively smooth ride at high speed. However, at low speed a deep V hull is very inefficient. Furthermore, at low speeds, a deep V hull is less stable, less maneuverable and tends to roll side to side to a high degree when side on to the waves.
Many attempts have been made to design hulls that combine features of flatbottom, round and/or deep V hulls in an effort to design hulls exhibiting the advantages of each.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need to provide a hull design that performs well at both high and low speeds. It is therefore desirable to provide a hull combining improved performance and ride comfort of any of the existing hulls at speed and in waves and improved comfort of any of the existing hulls at slow speed in waves and when stationary in waves.